The Emperor’s foremost concern was naturally the salt production yield.
“As long as it is properly managed, the output will be no lower than in previous years — it may even be higher.” Xiao Liu raised his head and met the Emperor’s gaze directly; as an Imperial Prince, he had every right to do so. “The prerequisite is that no one exploits the situation to skim profits under false pretenses.”
“The salt administration falls under Our direct supervision. We shall see whether their hands move faster or Our blade falls faster.” The Emperor swept his gaze across the assembled ministers and said with a cold laugh, “Salt prices have now reached one hundred and fifty wen per catty. A common person’s entire monthly earnings cannot buy even a single catty of salt — it is truly the greatest absurdity under heaven. If the salt administration succeeds, it will be a blessing for the people. Anyone who believes their neck is sturdier than most is welcome to test it.”
“Your subjects dare not.”
The ministers fell to their knees in a wave. The Emperor made no move to bid them rise, and instead looked toward Xiao Liu, saying, “Chenggian has rendered distinguished service in presenting the salt proposal. We award him a residence, two hundred palace maids, and concurrent oversight of the salt administration — he is to ensure the salt administration is fully operational as swiftly as possible.”
In other words, Xiao Liu and Hua Bailin of Qingzhou were to work together to establish the salt fields and begin large-scale salt production with all haste. The Emperor saw the matter clearly: if the salt administration was to bring substantial silver into the imperial treasury, only placing Xiao Liu in charge would produce the greatest results. Hua Bailin was currently the person most knowledgeable about salt production; if someone else were put in charge of the salt administration, there would be no way to compel Hua Bailin to give his wholehearted effort.
The Emperor wanted only the silver. Everything else was of no concern to him.
And this suited Xiao Liu’s own wishes perfectly — having just entered the court, using the salt administration as his starting point was ideal.
Hua Zhi felt the same way. Looking at Xiao Liu, who seemed to grow a great deal more mature with each time he ventured out and returned, she said, “We all understand what the Emperor wishes to do with the silver, and precisely because of this, this matter cannot be delayed for a single moment. The common people cannot afford salt, yet a person who does not consume salt will fall ill. When all is said and done, it is the very foundation of the Great Qing that suffers.”
“Teacher, please be at ease — I dare not be negligent.”
Hua Zhi had not yet grown accustomed to this form of address. She preferred hearing Xiao Liu call her Elder Sister Hua; things had shifted by a whole generation now.
“Teacher, you were attacked…”
“You are not to concern yourself with that matter.” Hua Zhi cut him off. “Let the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince fight it out between themselves. If you were to rashly insert yourself, you would actually be helping them break out of the bind they are in. My aim is not to confront them head-on — the real objective is to use this opportunity to sever several of their arms. That is what matters.”
When all was said and done, it was all for his sake. A heaviness settled in Xiao Liu’s chest. No matter how hard he strove to grow up, no matter how earnestly he tried to shoulder responsibilities, he still needed his teacher to exhaust herself scheming on his behalf. There were times he truly wished he could age five, six, seven, or eight years overnight — so that his teacher would no longer have to carry all of this for him.
“General Sun has submitted several memorials regarding the dried meat and crispy noodles matter. The Emperor rejected them, telling General Sun to find a solution himself — and has even delayed the disbursement of military provisions.” Hua Zhi rubbed her hand warmer. “I have accumulated a considerable sum of silver at present. Since I cannot expand the family business on a larger scale right now, it would be better to put it to use doing something worthwhile — to help you win the goodwill of the soldiers.”
“Father Emperor, how can he be so…” Xiao Liu narrowly swallowed the disrespectful words. Suiyaguan Pass was of such vital strategic importance — had his father forgotten the founding Emperor’s posthumous admonitions?
Hua Zhi lowered her head with a quiet laugh. “The Emperor is making things difficult for me. By telling General Sun to find a solution himself, that solution is meant to be me. General Sun is your maternal grandfather, and I am your teacher. If I am fully aware of the situation yet refuse to help, he can drive a wedge between you and me. And if I do intervene, this single matter alone will be enough to drain all of the Hua family’s savings accumulated over the past year or more.”
“Teacher, I would not listen to him.”
“I still must help.” Hua Zhi let out a sigh. “The Seven Lodges Division has been investigating, and it is now all but confirmed that Jinyang is the hidden stronghold of the Chaoli tribe. Yan Xi has already deployed his schemes in Jinyang — once the Jinyang operation is broken, it will be as good as cutting off the Chaoli tribe’s financial lifeline. They have been laying their groundwork for so many years that the moment they are exposed may well be the moment war erupts. The Chaoli tribe is no longer the brute-force people we once knew. They have very likely acquired strategists of their own, while the Great Qing’s military strength has long since fallen short of what it once was. As one side advances and the other retreats, no one can say whether we will drive them back to where they came from, or whether they will reclaim the glory that was once theirs. Compared to such matters, wealth truly is an external thing.”
Xiao Liu dared not imagine how formidable a Chaoli tribe possessing both brute strength and strategic cunning might be. He could only think of the present. “What can I do?”
“This is precisely what you must do. Crispy noodles and dried meat are not difficult to produce. I will lend you my people. Has the Emperor not granted you a residence? Go there and produce them in large quantities. I will provide the silver. As for how to distribute what is made, and to whom — that is something you must work out for yourself. Furthermore, you must pay close attention to court affairs: speak little and listen much. Guard the salt administration well and do not let anyone reach their hand into it.”
“Yes, Teacher.”
Hua Zhi pressed her fingers to her brow. “The Seven Lodges Division is too capable. It is precisely because they are so capable that the court ministers conduct themselves with such self-righteous incompetence. Even knowing the Chaoli tribe may make a resurgence, they feel no sense of crisis whatsoever because the Seven Lodges Division stands at the front. These problems — you must keep them all in sight. Make a habit of thinking through possible solutions in your spare time. It may well be that these are the very problems you will need to confront in the future.”
“Father Emperor and the court ministers rely far too heavily on the Seven Lodges Division.”
“So long as you understand this in your heart. Now go to the study — Chen Qing is waiting for you there. He will inform you of all that has recently transpired in the capital and brief you on the current state of affairs.”
Xiao Liu gave a nod. “Please take good care of yourself and rest well.”
“Do not worry. It is nothing serious.”
Hua Zhi had never been one to receive blows without striking back. After discarding the first pawn, she unhurriedly cast the second one she had seized onto the board.
Inside the Wei family study, Wei Chenze was pacing about in agitation. “Father, think of something quickly — if this goes on, we will no longer be able to conceal it.”
Wei Jing’s expression was dark and stormy. “Have the men we sent out returned yet?”
“They have not.”
“Send more.”
“Father…”
“Send more!” Wei Jing snapped sharply. “They think they can treat our Wei family as a discarded pawn — only if I agree to it.”
Wei Chenze was greatly alarmed. “They intend to tear down the bridge after crossing it?”
Wei Jing closed his eyes, unwilling to look at his son any further. They had already come to this pass, and he still could not read the other party’s intentions. Not a shred of improvement.
“Master, there is a letter for you.”
Wei Chenze strode quickly to the door, pulled it open, and took the letter from the steward’s hands, glancing down at it. The envelope bore no sender’s name. “Who delivered this?”
“The gatekeeper said he had never seen the man before, but judging by the man’s bearing he was no ordinary person, so he passed the letter to this old servant.”
Wei Chenze wasted no more words and handed the letter to his father.
Wei Jing’s eyelids twitched as he looked at the letter. After a moment, he broke the seal. The letter contained only a brief string of words: Those who know the times are the true heroes.
Seeing his father’s expression shift, Wei Chenze leaned over for a look — and his face instantly changed color. “Is it — is this his intention? But what about our Wei family? He is simply washing his hands of us? Father, have we not been handling affairs on his behalf? And he promised us he would find a way to have you reinstated in the Ministry of Personnel…”
Wei Jing slumped back in his seat, his son’s words passing by him like wind at his ear — not a single word penetrated. This realm bore the Gu family name. If he truly dared to expose the Fourth Prince, he would not even need the Fourth Prince to act — the Emperor himself would show him what it meant to be a true hero.